Teddy Lupin and the Veil of Cadmus
by Jacob Butter
Summary: The first of September has now arrived. The story of the Deathly Hallows finally comes to an end. But what of the events within those nineteen years? This is the beginning of the era of Teddy Remus Lupin.
1. Chapter 1

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the large family bobbed across the rumbling road towards the great, sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts ad the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.

Side by side, Harry and Albus Potter pushed the second trolley forwards, gathering speed. As the reached the barrier, Albus winced, but no collision came. Instead, the family emerged on to platform nine-and-three-quarters, which was obscured by thick, white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express.

Ahead of them was James Potter II, off for his third year at Hogwarts. Accustomed to the procedure, he hauled his trunk along to the nearest spot he could divest himself of the load. On the way he spotted a couple several years older than himself in a tight embrace, lips pressed against each other oblivious to any observers present.

'What are you doing, Teddy?' exclaimed James. Edward "Teddy" Remus Lupin pulled apart from his girlfriend's tender arms, ready to scold his godfather's eldest son.

'Can't I see someone off in peace? Go away!' he snapped. Victoire Weasley glared disapprovingly at James, whose expression had changed to the same sly looked the couple had seen on that good-for-nothing Skeeter woman they'd been acquainted with for some time. The young cheeky third-year turned on his heels and retraced to his family bearing the news.

'Teddy's back there,' they heard him say from behind the mist. 'Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? _Snogging Victoire!_ '

Teddy gave a sigh. 'Why that little-'

'Did he seriously not know?' inquired Victoire. 'I mean, how often do you spend at the Potters'?'

'Not often enough, clearly,' - shrugged Teddy, transfiguring James' trunk into a haystack. 'Don't get the wrong idea, I knew that as soon as _he_ found out, you'd never hear the end of it. Remember what happened when you told Dominique.'

'I s'pose you're right,' she sighed. 'Thanks for seeing me off, it means the world.' She beamed at him though the radiant locks of her blonde hair, still slightly glistening though the mist. To look into her eyes and warp his arms around her, Teddy knew he'd miss anything else going on in his life. In all honesty, to the young man it felt as if every event of an entire story was leading up to this very day, and this very moment.

'Don't mention it,' he beamed back. 'Besides, it's nice to look back on this place one last time. And you saw me off every year since my first journey.'

'No I didn't!' Victoire defended herself. I just came along every year in anticipation of going myself. Lily's been doing that as well!'

Little did Victoire know that Lily was at that very moment discussing marital plans for the pair of them. It was true, at Lily's age, Victoire was just as anxious to go to Hogwarts as her cousin. Now in her final year it didn't seem real. Years had gone in a flash, and, before she knew it, what once seemed like such a day in the distant future suddenly gave filled her heart with the bittersweet aftertaste of the present. Teddy shared this sentiment, and as he waved off the love of his life on the train again, glancing to watch James brush hay off his robes and a chocolate frog bounce off Albus and Rose's window, all he could think about was how it all started so long ago.


	2. Chapter 2

Both Teddy and Victoire got their first glimpse of the Hogwarts express exactly eight years before. Indeed the latter barely even paid attention to the former and was busy scuttering around like an ant out of formation.

Young Teddy Lupin was far more static, tilting only his head to take in what he saw upon crossing the barrier. He almost took a step back after glimpsing the Hogwarts Express, regarding it with the agitation of a shy and uncertain newcomer.

'You've got nothing to be nervous about now,' assured his godfather, Harry Potter. 'This is what you've been anxious for all summer.'

'Yeah, but it feels different… being here, y'know? I'm not making much sense…' stumbled Teddy. Harry placed a hand on his shoulder and knelt down to his eye level. 'I felt this way too the first time I came here,' he admitted. 'But I knew that what was to come after that very train, was to be the happiest time of my life.'

This proved somewhat reassuring, but not to the point that Teddy was entirely convinced.

'But you were different,' he protested. 'You're the famous Harry Potter. Everyone wanted to be your friend. Besides, you had Ron with you that day, you said so. Here I am all on my own.'

'I only met Ron because I asked his mother how to get here,' Harry explained. 'You'll be able to find someone very quickly, you'll see. After all, your mother was a Hufflepuff, and Hufflepuffs are great finders.'

'What does that even mean?' cried Teddy. 'That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!'

Harry sighed. In truth it didn't sound nearly as inspirational as he had hoped. Perhaps his godson needed a little incentive. He reached into the pocket of his muggle jacket pulling out a piece of parchment. He handed this to Teddy who recognised it and stared in awe.

'The Marauder's Map?' he stared. 'Are you sure?'

'There isn't much an Auror can get away with when using a map of a school of such nature. James would love for me to hand it down to him, but it belongs to you as much as me,' explained Harry. 'After all, we're both sons of Marauders.' He ruffled Teddy's sky blue hair, uncombed in an attempt to match Harry's own style. The pair pulled each other together until a whistle from the Hogwarts express warned it was almost time to go.

'Aren't you going to say goodbye to Teddy, Victoire?' called Harry's wife, Ginny. Victoire turned around swishing her dazzling blonde hair as if to slice the wind behind her.

'Bye' she muttered quickly, showing off her last missing teeth at either side of her mouth. As quickly as she had bidden her farewell, she dashed off to mix with the multitude.

'We'd better run after her,' realised Harry. 'She might try and sneak on the train or something. Bye now, Teddy. Don't worry about anything at all!'

And thus the couple dashed off behind their niece, not before Harry stopped in his tracks to give Teddy one last wave before, for the first time, he set foot on the Hogwarts Express.

Ω Ω Ω

Despite appearing on what Teddy thought to be the last steam engine still functioning, the interior resembled that of any other train he had seen, other than the inclusion of carriages with a capacity for a handful of students, he knew not exactly how many. Since he had missed the initial rush of overenthusiastic newcomers mixed with the accustomed older students, things out in the hallway were rather tranquil, save a few pyrotechnics from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, which Teddy easily recognised since he was acquainted with both the owners. In fact, on his last visit there, George Weasley, founder and co-manager, had forced him into acquiring his first ever Skiving Snackbox "Revised" Edition and a couple of Self-Propelling Custard Pies 'at discount price' ('You never gave me a discount when I was at Hogwarts!' complained his brother Ron. 'How's that fair?') Teddy decided that a sensible course of action would be to follow one firework and to sit in whichever carriage it exploded outside of. And thus, it was on the trail of the next Spectrum Splasher that he stumbled across one such carriage and, without thinking, pulled the door open.

Four fifth years spun around glaring at the new arrival. 'Wot d'you want?' snarled one. Teddy froze in his tracks. The quartet grinned menacingly at him the same way a pack of wolves may behold a rabbit.

'This carriage is occupied, geddit? Scram!"' snapped another girl rising toward him, causing her prey to stumble backwards.

'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!' cried Teddy moving into foetal position against the wall. 'I was just trying to find somewhere to sit with people. Don't hurt me, please!'

The four roared with laughter. 'Hurt you?' sniggered the same girl. 'We're not into attacking first ears…' she pulled him closer '...unless you really annoy us. So, stay out of our way and your time at Hogwarts will be a lot better. Got it?'

'Got it,' Teddy gulped, and the girl let go. He was desperate to get out of there as quickly as he could, but to make matters worse, a slightly maturing yet boyishly juvenile voice commanded 'Nobody move! Someone better explain this _right now_.'

Teddy and the carriage members spun round to face a tall chubby cheeked boy with neatly trimmed coal black hair accompanying another student who appeared to be his exact opposite. In stark contrast to himself, the girl next to him was around Teddy's height sporting an orange head of hair with purple tips, neatly brushed and artificially curled with muggle technology. She too took a step back when she first saw the group fearing a confrontation of her own. Fortunately, her trusted escort was having none of it.

'I'm sick of you lot picking on innocent first years every time they arrive!' he scolded. The girl at the front took a step towards him. She was taller, though not by much, hence managed to be just little intimidating even to her adversary.

'Or what are you gonna do, Oberon?' she sniggered. 'Give us a detention?'

"I can now," warned Oberon, pointing to a brand-new badge on his robes with the word 'Prefect' engraved across it. The group exchanged a series of indifferent sneers.

'We're not in school yet!' called one of the boys from the back.

'We know you're power hungry, but wait a little, don't you think?' teased another. The rest eagerly guffawed at this remark. Teddy glanced at Oberon the prefect and thought he saw his nose and forehead wrinkle for just a second. Clearly this had gotten under his saviour's skin, yet he was determined to remain strong.

'The train counts as school property,' he responded serene and severe as ever. 'So I'm in my fully representational capacity from this moment onwards.

'Oooh! Representational capacity! Aren't _you_ so proper?' mocked the girl. 'What happened to you, Oby? You used to be cool.'

Oberon sarcastically paused for thought. 'Hmm… nope. Always been like this, sorry.' He turned his attention to Teddy and the orange and purple haired girl. 'Now, you two. If you'll follow me, I'll find you both a _decent_ place to sit.


	3. Chapter 3

Keeping up with Oberon Clarke wasn't easy. The tall and lanky prefect kept a constant marching pace with the spring you'd expect from someone recently appointed into a position they had wanted to fill for some time. He strolled past the occupied carriages, giving the groups of friends chatting merrily inside each of them a simple once over, stopping only once to check that a group of third year boys were effectively play-fighting. This allowed Teddy and the orange and purple haired girl to both catch up and catch their breaths.

At long last it seemed that Oberon found an empty carriage and opened the door for his escorts. 'Alright, you two sit in here,' he instructed. 'I'd love to stay, but I have an urgent meeting in the prefect carriage for my first briefing and I'm already running late. I'll be back to check up on you once I'm done. If there's any more trouble I'm in the next coach along.'

And with that, he scampered off.

The disappearance of the confident fifth year left an uncomfortable silence. The pair sat on opposite sides of each other, legs crossed and glaring out of the window or the carriage doorway watching the world go by. Teddy even thought it got so quiet that he could hear thin tree branches brushing and scraping the top of the train.

How was this possible? His first chance to make a friend and there he was about to blow it. Desperately Teddy struggled to try and formulate a conversation about something. 'What's your name' sounded too cliché. 'Nice hair' would just get a simple 'Thanks' and nothing else, besides, with hair like that she probably got that said to her a lot. Salvation came when an elderly and slightly hunchback looking woman swung the door open with a thud, startling the pair of them.

'Anything from the trolley, dears?' she cooed sweetly.

The pair accepted, purchasing a pumpkin pastie each and a couple of Cauldron Cakes. Saffron also requested a chocolate frog and bit straight into it before it got the chance to leap away.

'Who did you get?' blurted Teddy, leaping himself on the opportunity for some form of conversation. He was referring, of course, to the famous chocolate frog cards that witches and wizards everywhere collected of famous other witches and wizards. The orange and purple haired girl munched on her frog for a while before glancing at her card.

'Cliodne,' she replied, sounding somewhat disinterested.

'Oh! Who's that?' improvised Teddy. 'I don't have that one. Can you read it out, please?' This was a complete lie. Teddy already had Cliodne's card, but knew this was a guaranteed way of obtaining a few sentences out of his equally silent carriage companion.

And so, she read: 'Irish druidess who first discovered properties of Moondew. The beautiful druid Cliodne had three magical birds that sang the sick to sleep and cured them. Legends say that she could take the shape of a sea bird or change into a wave. Her favourite hobby was flying.'

'Well with a power like that, I'm not surprised,' joked Teddy. The girl gave a half-hearted giggle and everything almost went quiet again. 'I collect those cards too y'know. My godfather's on one.'

At this girl looked up in surprise. Despite getting a committed reaction, Teddy realised what he had said and retracted this statement. 'Or so he claims, anyway,' he chucked embarrassingly. In Teddy's mind the last thing he wanted was to be labelled as Harry Potter's godson, especially not before he had even set foot in Hogwarts.

Ω Ω Ω

Chatting became easier between Teddy and the girl, though there was never a point where they asked each other's names. Mostly they would discuss celebrities who made onto chocolate frog cards and what exactly constitutes a druidess. Oberon did come and check on them eventually, but seeing that there was nothing wrong, resumed patrolling the corridors.

And so the train ploughed along up through England as Scotland, never stopping or slowing to reach any stations. It simply plodded along through fields, tunnels and valleys, the rustle of the occasional moor being the only other sound than the chugging against the rails. Until finally, the city of Hogsmeade, Scotland was in vision.

"Can I stick with you?" asked the girl before they got up. "I don't know anyone so I'm all alone."

"Me too. So we're essentially not-alone-buddies right now," smiled Teddy.

"Not alone buddies!" repeated the girl. "Now, let's get off here before those Slytherins find us again."


	4. Chapter 4

Hogwarts Castle was the mightiest structure Teddy have ever laid eyes on. Resting on the edge of a beautiful cliff, it seemed to sink and blend into the rocks beneath it, as if it were moulded out of the very stones themselves. In a way, it reminded Teddy of the Sagrada Familia, for various parts of the turrets and towers shooting into the air shone now with a gleam of novelty and freshness, like a portrait with a new coat of paint.

Dating back to the 10th Century, some parts of the castle were newer than Teddy. This didn't just apply to the stones and cement. New sub-buildings had been added along the expanded walls under Professor McGonagall's instruction, matching the original architecture. This was all Teddy had time to take in before the castle disappeared from view and they pulled into Hogsmeade station.

"Firs' years this way!" called a booming voice belonging to the largest man Teddy had ever seen. His tangled black and silver hair flowed from his head and his chin unevenly and starkly contrasted his worn out beige outfit. Teddy guessed that the man was approaching his eighties at the very least, hinted at also by his slow plodding along in a direction he'd travelled for decades. The first-years looked uneasy trotting behind him, but also both eager to reach their destination and relieved that their guide was easy to follow in a crowd.

The guide, who introduced himself as Rubeus Hagrid, escorted the first-years to the edge of a gigantic lake where dozens of boats were waiting for them. Hagrid mounted his own one and waited for everybody else to join.

'Are we supposed to row ourselves there?' snapped an indignant girl across the crowd. Hagrid chuckled a little at this remark.

'No, no! Yer jus' ride 'em,' he clarified with a smile. Sure enough, once everybody was secure in their own boats, they all took off in unison, cruising neatly along the Black Lake.

Once again, Hogwarts came into view, again over a cliff bordering it with the water of the very lake they were all sailing across. Teddy ducked down and brushed the water gently with the tips of his fingers. His first feeling of what Harry described as his first true home. His first sensation of Hogwarts.

'Careful,' warned a boy in the boat next to him. 'I heard there's a giant squid in there that loves little kids like us.'

Teddy jolted his hand straight back, toppling over into the boat and splashing the girl from the train in the process.

'Now, now!' called Hagrid from afar. 'That is simply not true… the squid is a lovely creature. Wouldn' 'urt a fly."

Somehow, this wasn't the slightest bit reassuring.

'You got water in my hair!" exclaimed the girl, trying to wring out the back of it.

'Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!' gulped Teddy. 'The colour won't wash out, will it?'

'No, muggle dye doesn't come out like that,' she sighed. This seemingly calmed her down a little bit. 'You know what, we're on a lake, fresh water shouldn't be too harmful."

That's when she was smacked straight into a cover of ivy, scraping her hair into a knotty mess. The girl froze open-mouthed, her hands shaking but otherwise remained completely stationary trying to muster a sound of disgust, a sound which just turned into a few heavy breaths when Teddy reassuringly placed his hands on her shoulders.

As a Metamorphmagus, this was one of the distresses he never experienced, but as he looked at her face, bleached as it was with anguish, all he could do was smile. And luckily the girl smiled back.

The Not Alone Buddies climbed out of the boats with the girl still trying to sort out her hair and Teddy plaiting it so the damage was less noticeable. From her wrist she produced a hairband and wrapped it thrice around the tip of the plait. Teddy was impressed that it didn't snap after being stretched like that as well as appreciating that twice wouldn't have been near enough.

'Someone really needs to change that design' he thought.

And thus, concluded the boat ride. Hagrid got out first and helped a few of the students out who either couldn't manage on their own or were stuck in the back. Not long after that they all made their way past the candlelight hallways filled with dented and occasionally missing armoured pieces and talking paintings which freaked out the muggle-born children who had not bought a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ on the train.

Hagrid drew the group to a stop outside the Great Hall, which Teddy knew to be the waiting place for the Sorting ceremony. Aware as he was, he understood the necessity for this to be explained.

'Alright, yer all just wait 'ere until we get the sign ter go in. Once that 'appens, yer'll be called in alphabetical order ter get sorted. Yer'll sit down at the end of the 'all an will 'ave the Sorting 'At placed on yer. It'll tell yer what 'ouse yer belong ter. Any questions?'

Several hands raised in the air and were ceremoniously ignored due to the raucous ovation lifted on the other side of the doors. It appeared that Headmitress, Professor Minerva McGonnagall had just finished her opening speech.

All the student jumped as the – in some cases unfamiliar – sound of static reared it's unpleasant head.

'Professor Hagrid, we're ready for _skrrrr_ _beep_ please proceed _reee_ has begun _clunk_ '

It appeared that no courteous explanation would be given for this. Hagrid opened the doors and lead the students in, ignoring their confused glances back to the amplifier they had just spotted. Onwards they plodded, the dozens of unfamiliar faces becoming the most dauting experience thus far. The girl from the train self-consciously brushed her hair in a desperate attempt to ameliorate her aesthetic.

It was inevitable for Teddy to scout for familiar faces, identifying Oberon Clarke on the Slytherin prefect table and the bullies for the train neighbouring his collective. Nobody else rang a bell to him so his attention went from Clarke to the enchanted ceiling reflecting to starry night above them to the old hat resembling a Halloween costume that had been left in a box for several centuries. This object drew more of the group's attention when without warning it cleared its voice and began to sing.

 _It was in such a bygone age_

 _That even I don't recall_

 _When I became a learners' sage_

 _And brought judgement to them all._

 _I'd say you're in the safest hands_

 _If hands I e'er possessed._

 _You end up suiting your demands_

 _For my judgement is best._

 _I've come into some foul critique_

 _For analysing youth_

 _When every person is unique_

 _It's said to be uncouth._

 _I can assure my method's pure_

 _And meant for growth and change._

 _In people there is so much more_

 _That my own sorting range._

 _But as for now, there's Hufflepuff_

 _The closest group you'll find._

 _You'll fit in well, more than enough_

 _Of you have the maker's mind._

 _Another option's Gryffindor_

 _For the brave above the rest._

 _Adventure for you lies in store_

 _If I judge it is best._

 _Perhaps you'll be in Slytherin_

 _Stand by your friends and self._

 _No ambition is kept within_

 _For fame or change of wealth._

 _Last, but not least, is Ravenclaw_

 _Who hold mind in high zest._

 _The search for knowledge you'll adore_

 _And I'll agree it's best._

 _So, come up now and have no fear,_

 _This castle is your home._

 _No matter what, you'll love it here._

 _With joy these halls you'll roam._

 _I'll set you up within the hour_

 _On your personal quest._

 _Just trust in me, trust in my power_

 _For my judgement is best._

Another ovation lifted up across the Great Hall. Teddy zoned out after the song described Gryffindor, for he knew that was the place for him. Ever since he set foot in Hogsmeade station, he was completely confident in every aspect of the experience. His nerves had almost completely vanished when McGonnagall began to list the students to be sorted.


	5. Chapter 5

'Alwinton, Megan!'

A polite applause followed slender & petite Megan Alwinton to the Sorting Hat, dying down as the item was placed onto her head. The whole Great Hall fell into silence, awaiting this 'best judgement' they anticipated so much.

'RAVENCLAW!'

More applause, especially from the Ravenclaws as Megan was indicated where to sit and watch the rest of her peers.

'Andrews, Isobel'

Izzy Andrews, a bulkier brunette racewalked down to get the whole even over with a quickly as possible, almost shaking with anxiety.

'GRYFFINDOR!'

'Wait, what?' whispered Teddy. 'She's in the brave house? Look how scared she was!' He was thinking that getting into Gryffindor would be easy if that was the standard he had to live up to.

'Bobbin, Clarise'

A black-haired Korean girl tossed her extended locks back and strutted forward filled with bravado.

'GRYFFINDOR!'

Obviously.

'Cattermole, Harvey'

The first boy on the register maintained a constant slow pace and neutral expression.

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

'Curtis, Annabeth"

'That's AXEL!' shouted a red-haired boy with a jolt upwards, across his face the desire to leap forwards at McGonagall from some deep, possible animalistic part of him. This, of course, did not happen. Instead, he just plodded forwards after his friend pat him on the shoulder, muttering to himself as he got sorted into Gryffindor house, the applause masking everyone's confusion.

McGonagall took a second to recompose herself, shuffling her shoulders backwards to shake off some tension. The extra wrinkles on her face vanished after this.

'Right. Let's move on, shall we? Dougalby, Jack!'

Thus, everything continued. Jack Dougalby was sorted into Gryffindor, followed by Preston Foley into Slytherin, Lennox Galbraith into Hufflepuff etc. All this time Teddy was left to twiddle his thumbs in polite silence, trying not to shuffle too much in line.

It wasn't long before Otto Johnson, an apparent Slytherin, was one with his sorting meaning the next name to be called was –

'Lupin, Edward!'

'At last!' thought Teddy. He bolted upwards and practically skipped down the aisle, perching instantaneously on the seat giddily glancing upwards as the Sorting Hat was lowered onto his head.

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

Oh, how quickly his smile drooped away. He cared not for the ovation he received from the table he was forced to sit down at. Making eye contact with absolute no one, he clenched his fists and crumpled his brow, determined not to fraternize with even the prefect who were desperately attempting to connect with him.

How had this happened? The Sorting Hat gave him no chance to even make a case for himself. He, the godson of Harry Potter, had been deprived of the chance to be placed in the same house as the person he looked up to most in the world and wanted so desperately to be like. In his mind, the only outcome worse than the one would be if he had ended up in House Slytherin. That would have destroyed any remainder of self-pride he had left in him.

There was no way any of Harry's actual children would end up in any other house! Teddy pictured James in Ravenclaw, Lily in Hufflepuff and Albus in Slytherin. It was almost unthinkable! But Teddy wasn't a Potter, nor was he a real part of the family. Nor was he even a Gryffindor.

Ω Ω Ω

Saffron Undercliffe.

This was the name belonging to the girl Teddy had befriended on the Hogwarts Express and shared his taste in exotic hair colours. She, unlike Teddy, was over the moon that she had been sorted into Hufflepuff and had noticed the sombre change in her friend's mood since the sorting took place.

Teddy busied himself by stuffing his face with yassai yaki soba and gulping it down with the aid of his pumpkin juice. Saffron constantly tried to get his attention, so barely touched her tortilla de patatas until Teddy finished his plate.

'Come on, tell me what's up,' she demanded. 'Alright, you didn't end up in Gryffindor. So what? Hufflepuff's not a bad place.'

'You don't understand,' grumbled Teddy. 'I've wanted to be in Gryffindor for as long as I've known about Hogwarts. It was one of the things I was most looking forward to before coming here.'

At this point, a prefect tapped him on the shoulder, grabbing his attention.

'There are plenty of other things to enjoy about Hogwarts besides what house you're in. If you ask me the whole premise of houses is outdated beyond belief. No one should actually care where people end up.'

'This is the reason we haven't won the House cup in years' jested a sixth year. 'It's people like you the destroy the group morale.

'Oh, spare me the lectures, Michein,' sighed the prefect. Teddy and Saffron judged by her expression that this was merely a banterous exchange, unlike the Slytherin fifth year conversation they accidentally walked in on.

'Ignore him,' she smiled. 'I guess a little friendly rivalry never hurt anyone.'

At that moment, McGonagall tapped her glass and stood up, prompting silence across the room.

'Very well, students, tonight's feast is nearing its completion. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to our newest additions to the Hogwarts student body. May your days here with us be used wisely. I refer, of course, to your studies and the opportunities we provide to further your development as young witches and wizards. Be pleased that in this time of peace, Hogwarts is the safe and encouraging place it was always meant to be, and that –'

As McGonagall spoke, Teddy somewhat zoned out. The Headmistress' speech was delivered as everyone expected, but seemingly lacked essential charisma behind it. The only thing that remotely grabbed his attention was the denotation that Hogwarts now sported a PA system which Professor Wallace insisted after the battle in 1998 (choosing not to refer to it by name) along with a few other changes. Harry had ensured he was familiar with muggle technology but had also told him to expect a complete absence of it. Nothing seemed to be going the way he was anticipating.

'Very well. All second to seventh-years, please vacate the Hall and head to your respective dormitories except for the fifth-year prefects, who will stay behind to escort the first years.'

Suddenly the Great Hall felt empty. As the first years lined up behind their prefects, there was plenty of room for Teddy and Saffron to catch Oberon Clarke's gaze for a split-second. But he had the Slytherin students to worry about, only taking the time to wave to a mousey brown haired girl of similar height to him that was the last to leave before them.

The Hufflepuff Prefect from before introduced herself as Natalie Clearwater and was accompanied by Monty Knox.

'If you remember only one name, remember hers. She's the likable one' he jested. Natalie giggled in a somewhat embarrassed nature.

'Anyways,' she blushed. 'We're in a new position right now, just like you are. So we're nervous too. But for now, all we need to do is go to bed. So it's not too bad.'

Much the Monty's annoyance, this line got a bigger laugh than his previous joke. 'Let's get going then' he sighed. 'Lead the way please, Nats.'

The only thing Teddy really paid attention to while going around the Hogwarts interior was where the PA system was obvious, partially out of morbid curiosity but most just to avoid the shock of the infernal feedback from before.

Chunks and pieces of the castles were very obviously newer than others, possessing close to none of their wear and tear. It wasn't long before Natalie and Monty revealed their destination: a nook on the right-hand side of the kitchen corridor. Monty knocked rhythmically on one of the barrels (two from the bottom, middle of the second row), which opened up to reveal a passage into the Hufflepuff common room.

'You have to rhythmically tap "Helga Hufflepuff" or else you'll be doused in vinegar and barred access' explained Monty.

The first-years laughed at this.

'He was being serious' insisted Natalie. 'Anyways, in you go!'

The tunnel into the Hufflepuff Common Room wasn't nearly as tight a squeeze as the first-years thought. Logically speaking, this barrel had to be wide enough for of age wizards to fit through. In fact, the gap was wide enough for Teddy to roll along the walls like a pendulum, but this is something he would attempt later, for he had just emerged into the cosiest room he had ever laid eyes on.

The Common Room was round and earthy and low-ceilinged. Surprisingly, though it was a basement, it possessed circular windows with a view of rippling grass and dandelions. There was a myriad of burnished copper about the place, and plants, which either hung from the ceiling or sit on the windowsills. Serving as a reminder of when Professor Pomona Sprout, former Herbology teacher, was Head of House. The sofas and chairs were overstuffed and upholstered in yellow and black.

'Dormitories this way' indicated Natalie, pointing to one of the round doors in the walls of the common room. Copper lamps cast a warm light over the four-posters, all of which were covered in patchwork quilts. The prefects split the boys and girls up and made sure the all picked their beds. Barely anyone said anything before the tucked themselves in and went to sleep.


End file.
